


White Christmas

by notabadday



Category: The Mentalist
Genre: Christmas, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 20:48:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2825654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notabadday/pseuds/notabadday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jane and Lisbon prepare for their first Christmas together as a couple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	White Christmas

"Do you have any Christmas traditions that I don't know about?" Jane asked as he helped Lisbon unveil the Christmas tree from its wrapping, needles spilling out all over the carpet.

 "I thought you knew everything," remarked Lisbon as she finished pulling fairy lights out of their box, turning them on to check they still worked after an 11-month hiatus. In the background, remarkably jolly Christmas music that Jane had picked out played, with Jane occasionally chiming in with the lyrics. He liked the classics best. White Christmas seemed to resurface after every third song.

 "It's been my experience that you prefer I ask you things rather than tell. It was an attempt at, you know..."

 "Having a normal conversation?"

 "If you like," he conceded. He bent down to move the tree into its base as Lisbon, having left the fairy lights to twinkle in the corner, ruffled the branches to encourage them to drop a little. "Your commitment to getting a proper tree rather than an infinitely more practical plastic one is a tradition which suggests that beneath the veneer of characteristic nonchalance, you are full of holiday cheer. There's also your secret stash of candy canes..."

 Lisbon kicked away some of the debris from the tree as she attempt to slot the trunk into place. "Jane, I think it would be best if you stopped trying to read me."

 "If I don't read you then how I will I know what to get you for Christmas?"

 "Take a wild guess, I don't know," she said with a roll of her eyes. After a beat, Lisbon added, "You haven't got my Christmas present yet?"

 "Maybe I have." He shrugged. "Maybe I haven't."

 It was her instinct to ignore him and carry on erecting the tree. "Okay, go over there and tell me if it's straight."

 Jane promptly did as he was told and examined the situation from the other side of the room. She looked expectantly at him as he took his time, tilting his head to either side alternately, hamming up his role in proceedings more than she appreciated. Eventually, head back into place, he reported, "Looks good."

 "Symmetrical?"

 "Umm, I guess," he replied, unconvincingly.

 She moved to stand next to him and examine things for herself, no longer trusting his endorsement. The tree looked smaller than she'd anticipated and almost charmingly lopsided. "Maybe when it drops a little, it'll look a little less..."

 "Sad?"

 "No, no, it's not a sad tree, it's..." Lisbon unconsciously tilted her own head, trying to find virtue in the rather pathetic little tree before them. She looked at Jane and couldn't help but laugh at a little, his own amusement plain to see. "It's got character."

 "Is taking in sad, old trees one of the beloved holiday traditions you're keeping from me?"

 "No, it is not," she replied, turning away from him to look back at the tree as though hoping it wouldn't be as bad as she remembered from a few seconds earlier.

 "That can be our new tradition, then," Jane suggested, reaching both arms around her neck and holding her to him in a cosy embrace, her back resting against his chest. He kissed her hair absently as they both continued to examine their sad little tree, more pitying than annoyed about their purchase.

 "Okay," she smiled, happily giving herself to his hug. After a silence, she decide to throw him a bone. "I go to midnight mass every year."

 This didn't come as a surprise to Jane but he grinned at her having confided another small part of herself in him. "Can I come?"

 "You want to?"

 "If you're going."

 "And you won't... create any disruption?"

 "Does that sound like me?" he said, defensively. She raised an eyebrow. "Fair enough. But I promise I won't disrupt midnight mass. I'd like to come. I'd like to come with you, Teresa."

 She turned, his arms gently falling midway down her back as their faces moved within kissing distance. He smiled at her, his eyes lighting up to see her face again, as though he hadn't in forever. There, in the fairy-lit room, their faces glowed red and blue and yellow. Light dancing over their skin, they gazed at each other warmly and Lisbon softly whispered, "I'd like it if you came."

 Jane moved a hand away from her, reaching into his own back pocket before pulling out a little green sprig. Lisbon studied it briefly before her expression broke into a smile at the way he held it above their heads.

 "You don't need mistletoe."

 "Just in case," Jane replied with a smile, leaning down to kiss her and tasting peppermint on her lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
